Fender for street-cars



(N0 Mode l.) 1 3 SheetsSheet I1 L. J. HUNTER. FENDER FOR STREET CARS.

No. 574,541. Patented Jan. 5,1897.

THE wnms PETERS cov sum-ammo" WASHINGTON n. r

(No Model.) I SSheets-Sheet 2.

' L. J. HUNTER.

FENDER FOR STREET CARS. V No. 574,541. Patented Jan. 5, 1.897.

A f/wwey (No Model.) 3 SheetsSh et 8. L. J. HUNTER.

FENDER FOR STREET CARS.

No. 574,541. Patented Jan. 5,1897.

ivrrnn STATES T1vv FFICE.

LYTLE J. HUNTER, OF COVINGTON, KEN UOK Y, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FORTIETH TO O.C. PHILLIPS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

FENDER FOR STREET-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 574,541, dated January5, 1897.

Application filed March 18, 189.5.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYTLE J. HUNTER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of Covington, in the county of Kenton and Stateof Kentucky, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fendersfor Street-Cars, of which the followingis a specification.

The several features of my invention and the various advantagesresulting from their use, conjointly or otherwise, will be apparent fromthe following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, making a part of this application, Figure1 is a side elevation of the end portion of a car, showing the dash,platform, a portion of the cab, and mechanism embodying my inventionapplied thereto. This View also shows in dotted lines a certain changein the position of the fender and indicates the track below. Fig. 2isaside elevation of the principal portion of the m echanism forenabling the bumper to actuate the fender. Fig. 3 is a plan view of thefender. Fig. 4 is a plan View of the mechanism for retracting or movingout the bumper and of certain other devices hereinafter fully specified.Fig. 5 is a view of the under side of the mechanism, illustrating myinvention, with the exception of the fender, whichis removed. Fig. 6 isa view of the underside of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5, with theexception that a modification of a portion of the means for enabling thebumper to actuate the fenderis here shown. Fig. 7 is a side elevation ofthe end portion of a car and of the mechanism illustrating my inventionas modified in Fig. 6 and of the rail below.

For a further description of my invention I submit the following:

At the end of the carand preferablyin front thereof I provide a bumperA. This bumper or trigger A is arranged, in combination with mechanism,so that when the bumper is operated by striking an obstacle it, thebumper, will withdraw the devices whereby the fender is upheld and allowthe fender to fall, substantially as hereinafter described. In thepreferred form of such mechanism (of my in vention) the bumper isconnected at A to a pivot Serial No. 542,231. (No model.)

A, fixed to a stud A, connected to a suitable portion of the car, as thesupporting-beams P of the platform P thereof. Again, below this pointthe bumper is pivotally connected at A to one end of a link A The otherend of this link is pivotally connected at A" to the free end of thelever 13, whose other end is pivoted on shaft B The sh aft B issupported at each end in a bearing 13 B", connected to the car, as beamsP P. Apart of the boss of this lever is cut away, forming a recess B,and in this recess plays a stud 13. Hence oscillation of the lever Bbeyonda certain point operates to turn the shaft B This latter shaftcarries a lever B fixed thereto, and the free end of this lever ispivotally connected at B to one end of a connecting or draw red 0, whoseother end is pivotally attached by pivot (J to the lower or free endofan oscillating hanger C The upper end of this hanger is pivotallyconnected by pivot C to the bearing attached to the car, preferably tothe beams P P.

Upon the supporting-rod or bottom 0 of the hanger rests (when the fenderO is elevated) the forward end of the arm or hook D, the rear end of thelatter being fixed to and on the shaft D by suitable means, as thesetbolt D his shaft D is supported in bearings O pivotally set inbearings, as G, connected to the carviz., to the beams P P. To thisshaft D is fixed the fender G, preferably by means of the set-screw Gpassing through those bosses G of the fender which surround said shaft.Thus the fender Gand the arm D can be mutually set, so as to regulatethe dip (elevation) of the fender above the track and the location ofthe movement of the fender in relation to the track and to the car. Thefender G curves down at G0 and extends forward in the vicinity of thefront of the car. The details of its construction (also of my invention)are as follows:

The side edges G of the fender consist of strong rods or bars. Betweenthese for the greater part of the length of these arms is the scoop G ofthe fender, preferably made, as shown, of wire-netting.

In front of the netting is a broad sheet G,

of metal or wood, which is curved downward at G below the level of thebars G The fender is preferably wider than the track, and the rails comeunder the sheet, and when the fender falls the curved portion G restsupon the track and supports the forward end of the fender and aids thelatter in sliding easily along and prevents its forward end fromcatching on the track or on some small stone or bolt projecting up fromthe track-bed.

In order to make the impact of the fender against the body which itmeets and is to shovel to speak) onto itself lighter, the front end ofthe fender at a short distance in front of the edge of plate G isprovided with an elastic piece, preferably consisting of a spring G", asshown, strained across from the front end of one bar G to the front endof the other bar G". For the better accomplishing of this purpose theends of the bars G are bent horizontally toward the center of theroad-bed, and these ends G reduced, enter the adjacent end of the hollowspiral spring G" and are connected thereto.

The operation of the devices thus described is simple and practicable,to wit: the fender is elevated and the mechanism in the position shownin Fig. 1. The car proceeds and on its way runs into a man, the bumperor trigger striking him. This impact drives back the bumper, and throughthe agency of the lever B rotates shaft B drawing rod C forward andwithdrawing the hanger C from under the arm D. Unsupported, the latterdrops and allows the tender to drop till it reaches the rails. In thisposition it receives the prostrate form of the man or other human being,the latter rolling onto the upper side of the scoop G Thus the personwho has been knocked down by the car or who has slipped and fallen infront of the car is saved from the violent death which ordinarilyresults when the wheels or the low portions of the center of the car runonto him.

The fender picks up any object that is small enough to come under theear-platform and its accessories, and thereby prevents the wheels fromrolling onto the said object. In this way the car will be prevented frombeing derailed. Consequently injury to the car and especially to itsinmates will be avoided.

It is very desirable that the fender when allowed to descend shalldescend very rapidly to enable it to be on the track in time to catchthe person who has come into contact with the bumper A. suitablemechanism. ()ne description of the same (of my invention) isas follows:A lever E is made fast at one end to the shaft I) and at its front endencircles a guide-rod E the latter at its upper end is fixed by a foot Eto the car, as beams P l. A spiral spring E compressed between the arm Eand the foot E, embraces the guide-rod E This spring E" thus continuallyand forcefully tends to depress the arm E and the fender G, and when Toaccomplish this, I employ to the latter by a set'screw SB.

the arm I) is unsupported will very quickly force the fender down ontothe track, the force of the spring being added to the force of gravity.

In order thatthe fender may not rebound from the track into the air, andthus be out of its proper place to receive the person in front of thecar 011 the track as the rapidlymoving car comes over that person, Iprovide a suitable detent mechanism, of which the fol lowing (of myinvention) is a preferred description:

To the shaft D usually by means of a set-screw F.

is fixed a ratchet-wheel F, On the arm E, I pivot at F a pawl F forengaging said ratchet-wheel, and I provide a spring F, pivoted at F tosaid arm E". The free end of this spring elastically presses against thefree end of said pawl, or, more accurately, against a pin F of the pawl,and pushes the pawl continually against the ratchet-whcel. Owing to thedirection in which the pawl engages the ratchet-wheel as the fenderfalls the pawl slipping over the teeth of the ratchetwheel offers noresistance to the descent of the fender, but the pawl engages theadjacent tooth of the wheel, so as to prevent the fender rising after ithas reached the track. The pawl and ratchet will hold the f nder thereuntil it being desired to raise the fender the pawl is moved and heldback by human agency, 6. g., the driver or con doctor of the car, untilthe fender has been lifted and the arm I) brought onto the hanger C.This latter operation is readily accomplished automatically, because theupper portion of the free end of the arm D is beveled, as shown, likethe latch of a doorlock. Elevation of the fender raises this arm I), andthe latter pushes forward the lower en d of the hanger C and rises abovethe pivot or bottom thereof. The hanger then having an opportunity toreturn to its vertical position will do so and pass under the arm andsupport it and the fender in this firstnamed elevated position.

Preferred means for automatically advancing the bumper or trigger A anddrawing forward the hanger C after having been pushed back by collisionof the bumper A with the human being, &c., aforementioned are asfollows: On the shaft 15* is a spiral spring B, at one end connected tothe boss or journal B fixed to the car, and at the other end to theshaft, preferably through the medium of the ring B on shaft B and fixedThis setting device allows of the spring being elastically strain edmore or less as desired. The shaft 13 is journaled at each end insuitable journals, such as the boss B The tendency of the spring is torotate the shaft from the left over to the right, (see Fig. L) and thusto move the bumper A forward and the hanger backward. The movement ofthe bumper forward is limited by suitable means,

as a chain B of proper length, hooked to the bumper at a suitable pointat B and conneoted to the car, as at B It is desirable that means forenabling the driver of the car to lower the fender be provided. Thereason for this is quite obvious. \Vhen the car is running fast and theconductor sees an object on the track, he can drop the fender and thusbe sure that the car-wheels shall not pass over it, even though he maynot be able to bring his car to a full stop before reaching the object.To this end I employ the following means: To the pivotal connection Bone end of an arm B is attached. The other end of this arm has a hook Bwhich hooks over the lower end of the pin B of the lever B,pivotallyfulcrumed at B to the car or a support thereof. The upper endof the lever is within easy reach of the driver. (See Fig. 1.) When thedriver desires to drop the fender, he pulls back on the upper end of thelever B and thus forces forward the'lower end thereof, thereby drawingthe hooked armor link B forward and with it the lower end of lever B Theadvancement of the lower end of this lever drops the fender in themanner already described.

The preferred description of the bumper A is as follows: Outer rigidside bars A and top and bottom bars A firmly united to their saidrespective side bars, constitute the frame. Vithin this frame andconnected thereto I locate a wire-netting A of considerable firmness,yet somewhat elastic, so that when the bumper strikes an object it willnot bruise or otherwise materially injure it.

In the drawings, K indicates the cab of the car, and R indicates thedash or front railing at the end of the car in front of the driver, andT indicates the track.

I will now describe a modification of certain features of my inventionfor enabling the bumper A to withdraw the hanger G from the arm D. Thismodification is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 and consists insubstituting for the vertical lever B the lever or levers MB eachfulcrumed on pivot M15 fixed to the frame at M8 One end of each of theselevers at MA" is pivotally connected to one end of the connecting rod orlink MA The other end of the latter rod is pivotally connected at MA tothe lower stiff margin A of the bumper A. Theupper end of the bumper ispivoted, substantially as heretofore de' scribed. to the car by apivotal connection A To stiffen this bumper, the side bars A are movedinwardly a very little and still constitute braces of the bumper andextend from the pivot A down to the pivotal connection MA The inner endof each lever M13 is pivotally connected with the draw rod 0 (heretoforedescribed) by a pivot, as MB, and at such connection the ends of theselevers are slotted to allow them to work, as they there do, in the arcof a circle. The

operation of this modification does not differ Substantially from thatof the mechanism of which this is a modification, to wit: when thebumper A is pushed back by collision, as aforementioned, the rods MA aremoved back, operating the levers and drawing forward rod 0, with similarresult as aforementionedviz., causing the fender to drop.

Means for automatically retracting the fender and levers M13 and rod 0to first position consist of the spring M13 stretched between fixedprojection MB of the car and point M13 on one of the levers MB? Meansfor enabling the driver to drop the fender consist of the lever Bfulcrumed at B as aforementioned, the lower end of the lever connectingdirectly with the forward end of the rod (1 by a projection B, workingin a slot of rod 0.

The shape of the bumper may be varied. Thus two conformations of thebumper are illustrated in the drawings, one in Figs. 1 and 5 and anotherin Figs. 6 and 7.

My movable bumper, yielding as it does upon the impingement of a bodywhich it meets, is obviously valuable for use by itself. Itis mypurpose, therefore, to employ it at times alone, i. 6., without using adropable fender with it. On other occasions I purpose to use itconjointly with the dropable fender.

My invention is simple in operation and effective. That it is usefulneeds no comment, as any device that contributes to the saving of humanlife and to the prevention of injury to human beings and other animalsand to the car is eminently useful.

What I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

1. In combination with a car, the movable bumper or trigger guard, andthe dropable fender, and mechanism between the bumper and the fender forenabling the moving of the bumper ina given direction to drop thefender, and the support to Wit hook D, fixed to shaft D of the fender,and mechanism for automatically retracting the bumper and for returningthe swinging support C under the hook D, as soon as pressure upon thebumper A is removed, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination of the car, a dropable fender, and the oscillatorypivoted support 0 swung from a pivot C of the platform, and the arm Dfixed to the fender-shaft D and the movablebumper and mechanism formoving the bar 0 connected ultimately with the bumper, substantially asand for the purposes specified.

3. The combination of the car, and the slidable bar C and a pivotedoscillating support for the arm D, and shaft D and fender G fixedthereto, and mechanism substantially as set forth for moving the bar (1and dropping the fender, and the bumper A, and mechanism substantiallyas described for enabling the latter when moved to actuate the IOU barG, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The combination of the car, and a dropable fender, having axial shaftD and leverarm D thereon, and a pivoted oscillating support 0, C, U, anda rcciprocatory bar C and connected to the latter, and mechanismsubstantially as set forth for moving the said bar 0 and dropping thefender, and for en abling the bumper when moved to actuate the bar 0,and the drivers lever, and mech anism substantially as set forth forenabling this lever to actuate the bar 0, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

5. In a car-fender mechanism, the combination of means for withdrawingthe support for the fender, the fender G, shaft D thereof, arm E' ofsaid shaft, spring E to depress said arm, ratchet-wheel F on said shaft,spring F, and pawl F substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. In a car-fender mechanism, the combination of means for withdrawingthe support for the fender, the fender G, shaft D thereof, arm E" ofsaid shaft, spring E to depress said arm, ratchet-wheel F on said shaft,spring F fixed to arm E and pawl F also fixed thereto and engaging theratchet-wheel, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

7. The fender having in its front portion a broad curved depressed sheetextending over the rails and across the road-bed between the rails,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

S. The fender having at front an elastic coiled wire, and behind thelatter a curved depressed sheet extending across the track and over therails, substantially as and for the pn rposes specified.

f). The fender, havin g at and across its front an elastic coiled wire,and behind the latter a curved depressed portion extending across thetrack and over the rails, and a netting fabric, at rear of the latter,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

10. In a fender, the combination of the rigid side arms or bars G andthe yielding portion G",connected to the bars,and the downwardlycurvedpart Gr held between and by the bars, and the coiled spring G at eachend embracing the end of the adjacent side bars, this forward end ofeach side bar being at right angles to the rest of the bar,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

11. The bumper A pivoted at A", and pivotally connected by links A tothe lever B, shaft 13*, lever I3 and lever B fixed thereto, and rod C,carrying mechanism for directly supporting the fender, substantially asand for the purposes specified.

12. The bumper A pivoted at A, and pivotally connected by link A to thelever B, shaft 13 lever B and lever 15 fixed thereto, and rod C, hanger(3 connected to said rod, shaft D and arm D supported thereon, andfender fixed to said shaft, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

13. The bumper A pivoted at A, and pivotally connected by link A to thelever B, shaft B lever B and lever B fixed thereto,

and rod 0, hanger 0" connected to said rod, shaft D and arm D supportedthereon, and fender fixed to said shaft, and ratchet F, and pawl forengaging the latter, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

it. The bumper A pivoted at A", and piv- 1 otally connected by link A tothe lever 13,

shaft 13 lever I3 and lever B fixed thereto, and rod C, hanger 0connected to said rod, shaft D and arm I) supported thereon and fenderfixed to said shaft, and arm E" of shaft D-, and spring E for depressingsaid arm, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

15. The bumper A, pivoted at A", and piw otally connected by link A tothe lever B, shaft 13*, lever 13 and lever B fixed thereto, and rod 0,hanger 0 connected to said rod, shaft D and arm D supported thereon andfender fixed to said shaft, and arm E of shaft D and spring E fordepressing said arm, and ratchet F on shaft D and pawl F and spring F,both supported by arm E", substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

16. In combination with the fender and means for supporting the same,shaft B and means for enabling the transverse reciprocatory rotatableshaft to withdraw the support of the fender including arm B" andpull-rod C connected to the free end of said arm, the spring B embracingthe shaft and at one end connected to a stationary portion of themechanism and at the other to the shaft B substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

17. In combination with the fender and means for supporting the same,shaft B and means for enabling the transverse reciprocatory rotatableshaft to withdraw the support of the fender including arm B and pull-rod0 connected to the free end of said arm, the spring B embracing theshaft and at one end connected to a stationary portion of the mechanismand at the other to the shaft 13 and the bumper A and interconnectingmechanism, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

18. In combination with the fender and means for supporting the same,shaft 13 and means for enabling the transverse reciproca-' toryrotatable shaft to withdraw the support of the fender, the spring Bembracing the shaft and at one end connected to a stationary portion ofthe mechanism and at the other to the shaft B and the bumper A,pivotally fulcrumed, and lever B mounted on said shaft 13 and aconnection between the bum per and said lever, substantially as and forthe purposes specified.

19. In combination with the fender and means for supporting the same,shaft B and means for enabling the shaft to withdraw the support of thefender, the spring B embracing the shaft and at one end connected to astationary portion of the mechanism and at the other to the shaft B andvertical lever B pivotally fulcrumed, and hook-piece en gaging same andconnected to said means for enabling the shaft B to withdraw the supportof the fender, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

20. In mechanism for dropping the car-fender, the combination of thelever B, pivotally fulcrumed, shaft B levers B and 13 thereof,hook-piece B B connected to the latter lever, substantially as and forthe purposes specified.

21. I11 mechanism for dropping the car-fender, the combination of thelever 13 pivotally fulcrumed, shaft B levers B and B thereof, hook-pieceB B connected to the latter lever, and bumper A connected to lever B,all substantially as and for the purposes specified.

22. In mechanism for dropping the ear-fender, the combination of thelever 13", pivotally fulcrumed, shaft B levers B and B thereof,hook-piece B B connected to the latter lever, and bumper A connected tolever B, and spring for retracting the bumper and hook-piece, and themechanism for supporting the fender, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

23. The combination of bumper A, and 1ever B lever B for bumper, shaft Blever B fixed thereto, hanger O rod 0 connected to lever B and hangerOshaft D arm D, and fender thereon, arm D for connection with hanger,ratchet, and pawl, arm E of shaft D and spring for depressing same, allsubstantially as and for the purposes specified.

Bl. The combination of a bumper pivotally hung and a shaft 13 and aleverconnected with the said shaft and opera-ted by the bumper, and thedropable fender, and mechanism for enabling the operation of said leverto drop the said fender, and a spiral spring as B for retracting thebumper and adding to the resiliency of its movement, and fixed at oneend to the car, and a ring and a set-screw, whereby the tension of thisspring can be adjusted, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

LYTLE J. HUNTER.

Attest: 1

C. J. MODIARMID, K. SMITH.

